The Chair of the National Assembly’s Finance Committee, Simon Thomas AM, has issued the following statement in response to the Wales Audit Office report, ‘Preparations for the implementation of fiscal devolution in Wales’.
Mr Thomas said:
“Being able to collect our own taxes for the first time in 800 years is an historic event for the people of Wales, so it is important to ensure that the frameworks that enable this are both robust and equitable.
“The Auditor General’s report highlights some good progress made so far by the Welsh Government in planning for this significant change.
“There are, however, a number of key areas that the Welsh Government needs to focus on in the coming year as they start to deliver these plans, particularly in agreeing a fair fiscal settlement with the UK Government after these taxes are devolved to Wales in April 2018.
“It will also be important that further assurances are provided during 2017 on the Welsh Government’s progress in delivering the tax collection structures and processes ahead of April 2018.”
The Finance Committee has previously agreed to undertake a short inquiry into the implementation of the Wales Act 2014 and will be inviting evidence from the Auditor General. The Committee will also be inviting the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government and the Secretary of State for Wales to attend committee. This will be after they have laid their annual implementation reports in December on the operation of the 2014 Act as required under 23(3) of the 2014 Act.